Sunny Post

Nothing much happening today. After my classes at a kindergarten here in Shikaoi on Monday I seemed to have contracted a throat infection - the not so fun side of teaching kds. I feel perfectly well but aggravating it is not an option when my job talking over children's laughter and banter. I have the slightest of fevers, which raised calls for me to go home, but all it means is that my body is fighting an infection - so I'm at work today. They did cut my class from four to one, which is a blessing because if I don't rest my voice it will take forever to heal. Yesterday, my throat was hurting readlly bad and I had five classes at Shikaoi Elementary School; I'm surprised I didn't die... It was a silly thing to do. I'm lucky I didn't lose my voice completely. I think it's because I've been eating like 3 or 4 oranges a day lately. They're in season, so seet, filled with vitiamns and so sweet. I work very hard to stay healthy. Teaching 20 and 30 kids English when sick is daunting. I make it a point to always wash my hands after playing. I am very careful not to touch my month or eyes before I wash my hands. But sometimes the kids want to touch my hair and head and I let them; they are so amazed and I think it help builds trust.

Last night I went out with the Suziki's from Tori Sei (a chicken restaurant). This is the night their restaurant is closed so we ended up going for a dinner in Urimaku, which is a town in Shikaoi, about 8 minutes away by car. (If it isn't clear how this works, its only because I'm not sure either.) We went to what is referred to here as a family restaurant, run but a husband and wife. Mr. Suzuki wanted me to have steak - it was from Shikoai, he said proudly - honestly I would have preferred curried rice or something Japanese, but it was a delicate situation. He kept on asking and asking and pointing to the steak, it was 3000 YEN, I had refused beer because of my sore through, and he and Ken (his grown son) gave me a look like I had just kicked a puppy. Anyway, I had the steak, so did Ken and Mr. Suzuki. Mrs. Suzuki had pasta, which is something I avoid in Japan like the plague, and it kills me because I love pasta, but the cooks normally have never eaten Italian pasta, so it often ends up being rather bland. Which probably in many ways is preferable to the Japanese palette, but if I want to have something with a sutble taste I'd rather have sushi. A good dinner, also got to bed at a very decent time, which I was happy about.

The owners name is Kawai, which is very close to the word Kawaii, which means cute. This was a point of endless laugher last night.

Tomorrow I have a full Friday out at Urimaku Elementary School. Hopefully I'll be feeling well for that. And then on Sunday I have another school festival. This time it's for Shikaoi kindergarten.